Showing posts with label followers of Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label followers of Christ. Show all posts
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
We are called.
We are all called, as followers of Christ, to be missionaries. The question is, are you? Listen to David share at the Convention this past year. It was such a wonderful message and a wonderful reminder of our how our focus is on the eternal things that matter, not material things or prosperity. Platt is on at 8 minutes so you can fast forward to that if you want to skip the introduction.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
What if?
What if Chrisitans took the Bible literally? What if those who called themselves Christians truly lived what they believed and let Christ change their lives completely instead of picking and choosing what they liked out of the Bible to live by? What if Christians DARED to be uncomfortable for the sake of Christ?
What if Christians lived as thought the Gospel wasn't optional? What if Christians dared to live as God has called us to live? What if Christians were....(gasp) different and didn't long for the American dream? What if Christians lived as if the American dream was about how much you could give away or give of ourselves for the furtherance of the Gospel?
What if the Church did less performing and more discipling? What if the Church gave more of their time and resources outside of the Church instead of pouring it into more programs at the church? What if the Church became the Church that Christ desired throughout the New Testament?
What if we get out of our comfort zones and live as Christ as called us to live? What if?
What if Christians lived as thought the Gospel wasn't optional? What if Christians dared to live as God has called us to live? What if Christians were....(gasp) different and didn't long for the American dream? What if Christians lived as if the American dream was about how much you could give away or give of ourselves for the furtherance of the Gospel?
What if the Church did less performing and more discipling? What if the Church gave more of their time and resources outside of the Church instead of pouring it into more programs at the church? What if the Church became the Church that Christ desired throughout the New Testament?
What if we get out of our comfort zones and live as Christ as called us to live? What if?
Thursday, January 19, 2012
I am a foreigner.
I have been really pressed to study 1 Peter and commit it to memory. I don't know if I'm going to be facing trials and that's why or if I need to be ready to help someone going through a trial. Like I said, I have no clue, but I know that God has very clearly shown me in 3 completely different ways that He is desiring for me to study 1 Peter, despite the fact that I had already started Romans!
So, here I am studying 1 Peter precept upon precept and letting Scripture interpret Scripture, as Kay Arthur says. I have loved doing her studies and decided that I would do her study on 1 Peter to aid in my discovery of what the Word is saying.
Today as I was studying, God really spoke to me in such a wonderful way. I love it when He reveals new things to me and helps me to see things in a new way. I was doing a word study on "alien" and "stranger" and then started listing the ways I would feel if I was living as a foreigner in a land. If I had to guess, I would be excited and would do all I could to prepare myself for this "new" land. I would research it, find places to visit, and immerse myself in it. I would learn all I could about it and would have goals made out of what I wanted to see/do while I was there. It would be a time that would be somewhat freeing, I would think. Only because I would know that I would only be there for a set amount of time. After that, I would be returning back home to where I was familiar with things. Not only that, but I would have a purpose for being there, whether it was visiting, working, etc. So whatever that purpose was, I would be fulfilling that purpose to the best of my ability. I wouldn't go to that "new" land and waste my days by sitting on the chair and watching television. I would be out, meeting people and partaking in what I knew would help me fulfill my goal.
Now, when I think of how God has said we are foreigners (like in 1 Peter 1:1, for example....but that's just one of many instances), I realized that I had never taken into consideration the things that I wrote above. I as a believer am only here for a moment before I reside in my permanent home in heaven with Jesus Christ. But do I live in this "new" land with a purpose? Am I excited about it or burdened? Do I attempt to accomplish the goals laid out before me to the best of my ability or do I shy away from them? Do I waste my days doing things that don't matter or do I fill my days with the things that God wants me to accomplish while I'm here? How well do I know this "new" world? How well do I know my inheritance that God has placed in heaven for me? Do I truly believe there's an inheritance set apart for me that is "pure and undefiled and beyond the reach of change and decay?" Do I truly believe that? Does my life reflect where my true home is? When people look at me, do they see that I'm not comfortable in this world? Do they see me accomplishing goals that Christ has for me to do?
I challenge you to live as if you are a foreigner. Make a list of how you think you would feel if you were living as a foreigner. Then apply that to your Christian walk.
So, here I am studying 1 Peter precept upon precept and letting Scripture interpret Scripture, as Kay Arthur says. I have loved doing her studies and decided that I would do her study on 1 Peter to aid in my discovery of what the Word is saying.
Today as I was studying, God really spoke to me in such a wonderful way. I love it when He reveals new things to me and helps me to see things in a new way. I was doing a word study on "alien" and "stranger" and then started listing the ways I would feel if I was living as a foreigner in a land. If I had to guess, I would be excited and would do all I could to prepare myself for this "new" land. I would research it, find places to visit, and immerse myself in it. I would learn all I could about it and would have goals made out of what I wanted to see/do while I was there. It would be a time that would be somewhat freeing, I would think. Only because I would know that I would only be there for a set amount of time. After that, I would be returning back home to where I was familiar with things. Not only that, but I would have a purpose for being there, whether it was visiting, working, etc. So whatever that purpose was, I would be fulfilling that purpose to the best of my ability. I wouldn't go to that "new" land and waste my days by sitting on the chair and watching television. I would be out, meeting people and partaking in what I knew would help me fulfill my goal.
Now, when I think of how God has said we are foreigners (like in 1 Peter 1:1, for example....but that's just one of many instances), I realized that I had never taken into consideration the things that I wrote above. I as a believer am only here for a moment before I reside in my permanent home in heaven with Jesus Christ. But do I live in this "new" land with a purpose? Am I excited about it or burdened? Do I attempt to accomplish the goals laid out before me to the best of my ability or do I shy away from them? Do I waste my days doing things that don't matter or do I fill my days with the things that God wants me to accomplish while I'm here? How well do I know this "new" world? How well do I know my inheritance that God has placed in heaven for me? Do I truly believe there's an inheritance set apart for me that is "pure and undefiled and beyond the reach of change and decay?" Do I truly believe that? Does my life reflect where my true home is? When people look at me, do they see that I'm not comfortable in this world? Do they see me accomplishing goals that Christ has for me to do?
I challenge you to live as if you are a foreigner. Make a list of how you think you would feel if you were living as a foreigner. Then apply that to your Christian walk.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Matt Papa....my new favorite artist
Check this video out. I've been loving his music since I discovered it a few weeks ago. Apparently he's been around, but I love his music and his lyrics. He has a variety of different musical styles, which makes the CD fun to listen to since the songs aren't that predictable musically. However, his lyrics are incredible. They are very biblical and challenging. He dares to go deep and make you uncomfortable. I love it! Listen to what he has to say about this song and I think you'll find yourself worshipping Christ with your whole heart because the words point to Christ. I keep his CDs on throughout my day and they remind me to pray for the missionaries, to live out the gospel even if it's uncomfortable and to live as a follower of Christ even when others think I've gone mad! I'm interested in your thoughts on his music. (The full band version is better than the acoustic version but you it's still good. It makes it easy to hear the words.)
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